In attempting to provide technology to all students, schools
are faced with the decision to go with a 1:1 device policy or a bring your own
device (BYOD) policy. No matter the direction a school system decides to go
they must first prepare their infrastructure to meet the needs of the
technology (Winske, 2018). A successful plan includes all people involved such
as administration, tech team, teachers, etc. (Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee, 2013).
When the infrastructure has been secured and the learning plan has been
developed it is time to decide the best form of digital learning (Winske, 2018).
Based on the needs of the school the technology team will decide whether to implement
BOYD or 1:1. Working in a rural, low-income school system, availability and
cost are a crucial decision-making points.
BYOD: The most appealing part of
BYOD is the cost (Winske, 2018). The cost to the school system for a BYOD
program is minimal. If the students bring in their own devices the school doesn’t
have to provide the devices. Although
the cost is a positive aspect of BYOD management is a negative. The BYOD program
requires school administration as well as technology administration to create
strict management guidelines (Winske, 2018). With the wide variety of devices
that students may bring with them, monitoring and managing multiple platforms
and devices is a challenge. An additional obstacle schools face with BYOD is
that all students may not have a device to bring with them. Schools would still
have to provide devices for those students who do not have one of their own.
1:1: The 1:1 device program is
ideal if a school system has the upfront funds to purchase the devices. The initial
cost of this program is significantly more than BYOD. The positives of a 1:1
program outweigh a BYOD in my personal experience. Since the school system is
responsible for the purchase of the devices they can purchase devices on the
same platform. This makes maintaining and management much easier. An additional
benefit is that all students have equal devices. No one person has anything
better than another. All of the devices can be compatible with applications and
programs used by the school.
I am a
technology coordinator for a rural, low-income school system. We chose the 1:1
program based on the needs and availability of devices for our students. The
initial cost was a bit high but by staggering the purchases over several years,
we were able to accomplish the 1:1 status. Many of our students do not have
access to Wi-Fi away from school and do not have a mobile device of their own
so the 1:1 program fit out system the best. I recommend getting a team of
stakeholders together and doing research when making the decision on which path
to follow and go with the program that will be fit, financially and
technically, for your school system (Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee, 2013).
Please watch this videos for more information on BOYD and 1:1:
References
Impacting
Student Achievement with 1:1 Technology. (2016, February 09). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com
Lalande, M.
(2012, June 04). Retrieved March 06, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com
Power, M.
(2014, May 07). 1:1 Technology. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com
Whitehead, B.
M., Jensen, D., & Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for technology: A guide for
school
administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Corwin, a Sage Company.
Winske, C.
(2018, August 21). Comparing BYOD vs. 1:1 Learning-Which Should You Choose?
Retrieved from https://www.channelpronetwork.com
1:1 vs BYOD in
Education [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved March 6, 2019, from
https://www.securedgenetworks.com
Traci, thanks for the topic. This is a very sensitive issue for me as a teacher at a BYOD school. I see the positives, the truths, the challenges, etc. I cannot say it better than Karen McLean (2016). "As examples of mobile devices, mobile phones and mobile tablet technologies have potential to support collaborative learning in conventional and online learning environments (Falloon, 2015). The instant access to, and flexibility of mobile devices are seen as enablers for collaborative learning (Murray and Olcese, 2011)," (p. 1739). The benefits make sense for those communities with the capabilities. However, McLean (2016) also admits, "Teacher stress may also influence the implementation of BYOD in schools (Fogarty and Carr, 2014). Research suggests teachers lack of familiarity with devices (Liu et al., 2014) adds to pressures associated with classroom management and security," (p. 1739). Further, she discusses possible legal connections that could cause future issues. Mobile devices in the classroom allow for "troubles" that serve as great stresser when attempting to teach moral character. These are interesting times we live in.
ReplyDeleteReference
McLean, K. J. (2016). The implementation of bring your own device (BYOD) in primary [elementary] schools. Frontiers in psychology, 1739.
I agree the appeal of BYOD is the cost. Many schools might lean towards BYOD because they do not have enough money to purchase and maintain devices for every student. However, they must consider the management nightmare BYOD presents. Also, how do you ensure equity when implementing a BYOP program.
ReplyDeleteYour approach to purchasing devices over time is great. I believe many schools will find that this approach will make implementing the 1:1 much more affordable.
The following link is to a great interview discussing the challenges of BYOD programs.
https://youtu.be/Tls8CFIE5R4
Hi Tracy,
ReplyDeleteInteresting read! I understand the appeal of BYOD as well as 1:1, each has their pros and cons. I favor 1:1 in the schools because of the security and management concerns of BYOD. According to Tettegah, S. Y., & Hunter, R. C. (2006) struggles to deal with these issues of emerging risks of online aggression and violence; we also struggle with the integration of curriculum and technology, but with relevant professional development and digital literacy taught to students BYOD can be a positive with guidelines.
Tettegah, S. Y., & Hunter, R. C. (2006). Technology and Education : Issues in Administration, Policy and Applications in K12 Schools. Amsterdam: JAI Press Inc.